In an epic adventure, historian Dan Snow follows in the footsteps of the 19th century’s last great gold rush.

A journey filled with genuine danger and thrilling beauty. Leading a one month expedition he’s joined by polar explorer Felicity Aston and remote environment medic Dr Kevin Fong. Their goal – to strike gold in Canada’s frozen wilderness.

So far the team have travelled just thirty of the nearly six hundred mile journey to the gold fields. Having made their way across the Alaskan Coastal Mountains they now face a very different challenge: the treacherous Canadian Lakes and rivers…MORE at BBC (bbc.co.uk)

Edward Hargraves, accompanied by John Lister, found five specks of alluvial gold at Summerhill near Bathurst in February 1851. Then, in April 1851, John Lister and William Tom, trained by Edward Hargraves, found 120 grams of gold. This discovery, instigated by Hargraves, led directly to the beginning of the gold rush in New South Wales. This was the first gold rush in Australia and was in full operation by May 1851,[68] even before it was officially proclaimed on 14 May 1851,[42] with already an estimated 300 diggers in place by 15 May 1851.[69] Before 14 May 1851 gold was already flowing from Bathurst to Sydney,[70] an example being when Edward Austin[71] brought to Sydney a nugget of gold worth £35, which had been found in the Bathurst District.

In 1872 a large gold and quartz “Holtermann Nugget” discovered by the night shift in a mine part owned by Bernhardt Holtermann at Hill End, near Bathurst, New South Wales: the largest specimen of reef gold ever found, 1.5 meters (59 inches) long, weighing 286 kg (630 pounds), in Hill End, near Bathurst, and with an estimated gold content of 5000 ounces (57 kg). More Australian Gold History Click Here

Prospecting is the stuff of legend and fantasy, and plenty of people dream about finding the precious metal synonymous with wealth.

Gold prices are up around 15 per cent so far this year, making now a tempting time to have a crack at searching for gold.

But for some prospecting has become a way of life, regardless of the gold price.

Bill O’Connor, who has created a detailed website called Gold Prospecting in WA, has been prowling for gold since retiring from his job at Australia Post in 2005…

…Also you need a pickaxe, map, training and a $25 Miner’s Right — the type of licence required for gold prospecting, which is available from WA government agency, the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP)…MORE (Abc.net.au)